We’re easing into the most bustling and joyful time of year— and one of the quickest moving, too. And that means some of our regular routines get thrown out the window like used wrapping paper if we’re not super intentional with them.

If you’ve been here for a while, you know it’s during times like these— the busy seasons in our lives— that I try to lean into making space and finding margin to take care of myself and my body and mind (and my family’s, too). And I mean lean in HARD. Because you have to, really.

Because when life gets crazy, I firmly believe we need, more than ever, to take the opportunity to slow down, even if it’s 5-10 minutes, and enjoy a meal or do something that fuels and recenters us.

Or take a 5 minute walk to clear your head.

Or find 20 minutes to move your body.

Or spend the first few minutes of your day stretching, or doing gua sha or a ice roller, or journaling before jumping into the chaos of go-go-go.

Or end the day with a bath using the “good” bath stuff you always save for another, more special time.

These tiny things DO make a BIG difference… especially when the holiday season hits and we feel like we’re being pulled in a 100 new directions at once.

It’s a magic time of year, but one that can also be depleting if we aren’t careful with where we’re spending our time & energy.

So to me, the name of the game food-wise this time of year is prep & planning ahead of time (just a little bit). Nothing crazy, my friends.

But a tiiiiiny bit of prep or forethought (and having the good staples around in your pantry and freezer) ahead of time, when you do have some downtime, can change everything.

Today I wanna share 3 of my go-to make-ahead recipes you can batch or prep once and enjoy several times over throughout the week.

Psssst, all of these recipes come from my first cookbook baby, The Simply Real Health Cookbook— which is currently on sale right now for 30% off through Amazon. It’s just $24.50, the lowest price it’s ever offered at— and this is the only time of the year it goes on sale! Don’t miss this opportunity to add a new healthy cookbook to your shelf, or start your holiday shopping for someone you love who loves real food, MADE EASY! View the book here.

We’re also currently offering 30% off my digital products in SRH: The Shop with code HOLIDAY2023 through 11/29— you can get many of my digital resources at major discount, like the SRH Healthy Holiday Recipe Guide too (just $14 for every kind of healthier upgrade to your favorite holiday foods!), the Baby Food Files, all of our seasonal meal plans and food guides and more.

Here’s everything on sale in The Shop right now—

• The Baby Food Files (usually $47, now just $33)
• The Simply Real Health Cooking Club (we’re got a special sale on this coming next week, so mark your calendars)
• The Fall Meal Plan (usually $99, now $69)
• The Simply Real Health Cookbook (usually $35, now $24.50)
• The Simply Real Eating Cookbook (on sale too, usually $30, on sale now for just $26!)
• The Green Smoothie Guide (just $7 right now)
• The Healthy Breakfast Guide  (just $7 right now)
• The Healthy Snack Guide  (just $7 right now) 
• The Healthy Cocktail Guide  (just $7 right now) 
• The Summer Meal Plan (usually $99, now $69)
• The Winter Meal Plan (usually $99, now $69)
• The Spring Meal Plan (usually $99, now $69)
• The Dinner Only Meal Plan (usually $49, now just $35)

Check out all the items in The Shop HERE!

Now, without further ado, here are 3 recipes to make-ahead to fuel you & your fam during busy weeks.

3 easy make-ahead recipes for busy weeks:

Rustic Healthy Banana Bread

Makes 1 loaf

This recipe is awesome with the addition of chopped walnuts, pistachios, macadamia nuts, or chocolate chips, depending on who you’re feeding. A thick slice of this banana bread is also excellent toasted with nut butter, or butter and cinnamon.

• 1⅔ cup gluten free flour or regular unbleached flour
• 4 ripe bananas mashed
• 2 eggs or 2 teaspoons chia seeds mixed with 5 teaspoons water
• ½ cup coconut oil melted
• 1 cup sugar or ½ cup maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ cup chopped walnuts optional

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a loaf pan with coconut oil or butter. If you are using chia seeds instead of eggs, add them to a small bowl with water and let them soak while you prepare the rest of the ingredients. Mix all other ingredients together in a large bowl and pour into the greased pan. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour until the center is cooked through. You can easily check this with a toothpick of knife inserted in the middle of the loaf.

Quinoa Stuffed Baked Tomatoes

Makes 8 servings

This is a perfect make-ahead dish for a crowd, and is easily adaptable to your own additions. If you don’t like tomatoes, use peppers instead, just factor in a longer cooking time. If you do use tomatoes, try to pick slightly firmer ones at the store.

• 8 large tomatoes
• 1 cup dry quinoa or brown rice
• ½ pound cooked crumbled organic sausage, optional
• ½ cup feta goat cheese or gorgonzola crumbled cheese
• ¼ cup chopped basil or 1 teaspoon dried oregano/Italian seasoning
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 2 – 4 cups fresh spinach or more
• 1 teaspoon pepper and ½ teaspoon sea salt

1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Cook quinoa by combining ½ cup dry quinoa with 1 cup water and 2 dashes of sea salt and cover with a lid. As soon as water boils, reduce heat to the lowest possible simmer or turn heat completely off and keep covered with a lid. Let sit for 10 minutes until done.
2. Slice top off of each tomato, and gently scoop the seeds out. Place in a glass or ceramic baking dish. If they do not sit flat, slice a bit off the bottom
3. In a skillet, sauté crumbled sausage first (if using), then add garlic and spinach to the pan until spinach wilts. Add the warm ingredients to a large bowl, then add the herbs, quinoa, cheese of your choice, sea salt and pepper, and mix to combine.
4. Fill each tomato with the quinoa stuffing, drizzle with a bit of olive oil, and top with a tiny bit of crumbled cheese. Bake for 20-25 minutes until done. Broil for the last 2-3 minutes to get a nice crispy brown layer on top. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Rustic Vegetable + Bean Chili

Makes 6 servings

This vegetarian chili is great with added avocado, cooked brown or wild rice, or with meat if you prefer.

• 1 can kidney beans or any other type of bean
• 1 can white beans or any other type of bean
• 6-8 baby Yukon potatoes quartered
• 2 carrots chopped
• 4 stalks celery chopped
• 1 red bell pepper chopped
• 1 green bell pepper chopped
• 1 onion chopped
• 1 carton or 4 cups organic chicken or vegetable stock
• 2 teaspoons garam masala
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper